Saturday, December 3, 2011

Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva

There
was once a sage called as Shilada. Shilada did not have any children.
of his own, but he adored children. He wanted to adopt a child, but
he did not want to adopt just any child. He wanted a special child
blessed by Lord Shiva. So he worshipped Lord Shiva for many years.

Lord
Shiva finally appeared before Shilada, "What boon do you seek,
Shilada?"

"A
child. I wish to have a child, Lord Shiva." Shilada said bowing
before Lord Shiva.

Shiva
smiled. "You shall have it soon" He said and vanished.

Shilada
returned home a happy man, knowing that the Lord would bless him with
a very good child. The next day he went to the farm to begin his
ploughing, when he found a beautiful baby in the field before his
plough. The baby’s skin glowed with a beautiful white light.

Shilada
stared at the baby transfixed, when he heard a voice from the heaven,
"SHILADA, TAKE THE CHILD. BRING HIM UP WELL!"

Shilada
was overjoyed as he took the boy home. He named the boy Nandi. Right
from his childhood, Nandi was devoted to Lord Shiva. Shilada brought
up the child with love and care. Shilada taught the child the Vedas
and gave the child a good education. Nandi was a brilliant boy and
learnt everything very fast. Shilada felt very proud of the child.

Some
years later, two sages – Mitra and Varuna came to Shilada’s home.
"Welcome great sages!" Shilada gave the rishis some
refreshments, "Please sit and make yourself comfortable."

"Nandi!"
Shilada called his son. Nandi came from inside the house. "Nandi
please make sure these sages are well looked after."

Nandi
smiled and nodded his head. "Yes father!"

Nandi
looked after the two sages well and after enjoying the stay, the
sages said that it was time they left. Before they were about to
live, Shilada and Nandi both prostrated before the two sages.

Mitra
and Varuna first blessed Shilada, "Have a long and happy life,
Shilada. You have made us very happy!"

When
Nandi fell at the feet, the two sages looked slightly sad. Slowly
they said, "Be well son! Be good to your parents and your
teachers!" And they walked off, outside the house

However
Shilada noticed the change in the expression of the sages. He ran
outside the house, "Great rishis!" He said breathlessly. He
turned around and made sure that Nandi was inside the house and could
not hear him, and talked to the sages, "You looked sad while
blessing my son!" Shilada said feeling terrified, as he was
thinking of unpleasant things..."Is...is something wrong?"

Mitra
looked at Shilada with pity, "I cannot wish your son a long
life...." Mitra said softly.

Shilada
looked in absolute panic. "What is going to happen to my son?"
He whispered.

"Your
son, does not..." Varuna cleared his throat, "...does not
have long to live, Shilada. I am sorry..." He said lamely,
looking at the horrified expression on Shilada"a face.

Shilada
stood there transfixed for a long time. After a long time, he slowly
walked back home with stooping shoulders and a broken heart.

Slowly
and painfully, Shilada narrated his conversation with the two sages.

He
expected Nandi to be scared or even that Nandi would even start
crying. However Shilada was surprised when he heard Nandi’s laugh.
"You were scared of what the sages said!" He said still
laughing.

Shilada
wondered what could be so funny and looked at his son without any
expression.

"Father,
you have told me that you have seen Lord Shiva..." Nandi said
with great devotion in his eyes. "Anybody who has seen Lord
Shiva cannot be afraid of what the sages just said."

Shilada
still looked dumbly at his son, not understanding. "Father, it
is my fate to die, then Lord Shiva can reverse my fate! He is
the most powerful God and can do anything. Do you think he would let
anything happen to us, when we worship him?" Nandi looked at his
father challengingly. "I don't think so., father.." Nandi
said softly.

Shilada
looked at his son as if looking at him for the first time. Slowly
Shilada nodded his head and smiled.

Nandi
bowed to his father. "Bless me father!"

Shilada
blessed his son, "Be victorious my son!"

Nandi
then went near the River Bhuvana. He entered the river and began his
penance. His devotion was so great and his concentration was so high,
that Lord Shiva appeared almost instantaneously.

"Nandi,
open you eyes!" said the three eyed God tenderly, looking at
Nandi.

Nandi
opened his eyes and before his eyes stood the most beautiful person
he had seen in his whole life. Nandi looked at the God wanting to
savour his image. He felt that he had nothing more left to ask. If
only I could stay with the Lord always...

Shiva
looked at Nandi with lots of love, "Nandi, you penance was so
powerful that it dragged me here immediately! Ask me anything I will
grant it to you!" Shiva said.

"Lord
I wish to be with you always." The words were out of Nandi’s
mouth before he could stop them.

Shiva
smiled. "Nandi I have just lost my bull, on which I used to
travel. Henceforth Nandi, you shall have a face of a bull. You shall
stay in my home at Kailash. You shall be the head of all my
Ganas...You will be my companion, my vehicle and my friend, always!"

Nandi
closed his eyes as tears flowed through them. The Lord had granted
him his wish and a lot more...

Since
then Nandi became Shiva's vehicle, doorman, his companion and the
head of all of Shiva's attendants – the Ganas. Thus by sheer
devotion Nandi was not only able to overcome his fate, he also
rewrote it!

A
few days later the Devas and the Asuras together churned the ocean
for nectar. However the first thing that emerged from the churning
was the poison Halahal. The poison was so strong that it threatened
to destroy the whole world. To protect the world, Lord Shiva
collected the poison in his hand and swallowed it. Goddess Parvati
who was near Lord Shiva clutched Shiva's throat to make sure that the
poison was stored in the throat and would not affect Lord Shiva.

However
some Halahal slipped out of Shiva's hands and fell on the ground.
Nandi gathered the fallen Halahal and seeing his master drink it, he
also drank it!

The
Devas were staring shocked at what Nandi had done! Lord Shiva was a
God and besides he had Goddess Parvati to protect him, so nothing
would happen to Lord Shiva. But Nandi...

However
nothing happened to Nandi. Shiva looked at the dumb folded gods and
smiled, "Nandi is my greatest devotee! All my powers are his too
and Parvati’s protection will go to him too!"

Very logic flow of story .... just add missing lines... when the suras (devas) ran up and down from the halahala poison before meeting Lord shiva. "cos on pradosham day the devotees must do SOMA-SUTRA PRADHAK-SHINA around the Shivalinga and Nandhi.

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